The city that never sleeps will host the return of "The Filipino Flash"
By Rich Mazon
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 02 Sep 2011
The October 22, 2011 return of Nonito "The Filipino Flash" Donaire in the ring seems to be coming to fruition. Seven months after his impressive knockout of then WBC and WBO bantamweight titlist Fernando Montiel last February in Las Vegas, Donaire will be facing WBO super flyweight champ Omar Andres Narvaez of Argentina.
The fight will be for Donaire's pair of bantamweight belts. The venue of the fight is also being finalized. It was originally planned to be held on the West Coast in California with the Home Depot Center in Carson or the OC Fair and Events Center in Costa Mesa as possible venues, but Golden Boy Promotions raised objections to the fight being held so close to their October 15th promotions featuring Bernard Hopkins and Chad Dawson which is to be held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Donaire is originally from in San Leandro, a suburb in the northeast part of California.
Todd Du Boef of Top Rank Promotions who handles Donaire is finalizing details for the fight to be held in New York City. The possible venue will be the WAMU Theater at Madison Square Garden which is located in the heart of the city that never sleeps. If it ever gets finalized, this will mark the end of Donaire's seven month respite from the sport. He was embroiled in a contract dispute with Top Rank last March which prevented him from fighting. A reconciliation between Donaire and Top Rank Promotions was reached last July after which Donaire inked a new four year deal with the company.
The fight will be a many firsts for the number three ranked pound for pound fighter in the world by the prestigious Ring Magazine. It will be his first fight out of his newly signed contract with Top Rank. It will be his first defense of his bantamweight belts he won last February. And it will be his first fight in the East Coast. He fought mostly in the other side of the country particularly his home state of California. The large Filipino population in the East Coast, particularly in the tri state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut will be a potential market for the talented Donaire who grew up in General Santos City, Philippines, It is also home to his countryman and the sport's number one fighter in Manny Pacquiao.
Donaire will be facing an undefeated and veteran fighter in Narvaez who is unbeaten in thirty seven fights. Nineteen of his fights were by way of knockout and has drawn twice in the past. Narvaez, like Donaire held the flyweight title in the past and has defended it for more than four years. This will be his first bout in the United States as majority of his fights were held mostly in his country of Argentina.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rich Mazon .
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